INCREASING FRUIT TREES 31 



Saddle Grafting IP recommended when the stock and 

 scion are the same size. In this case both sides of the stock 

 must be cut to make the latter wedge-shaped, while the scion 

 is cut to fit on this. It must be made quite secure against 

 winds and storms. 



Grafting wax is a good substance to apply, and is obtained 

 from the horticultural sundriesman. Many prefer clay, but 

 this must be free from stones and grit, and should be worked up 

 until it is brought to the consistency of putty. During bright 

 sunny weather it is necessary to give it a spray over with the 

 syringe occasionally, to keep it from cracking. 



Bush Fruits from Cuttings. Although it is not desirable 

 to propagate inferior sorts of either Black, Red, or White Currant 

 trees, those who possess healthy trees of good varieties should 

 take a few cuttings each year and insert them in the open ground 

 in autumn. When selecting Black Currant growths for the pur- 

 pose of cuttings, care should be taken to avoid any trees on 

 which the buds are swollen or unduly large, as these in all prob- 

 ability are infested with the gall mite, commonly termed " big 

 bud." Growths of the past summer are best ; they ought to 

 be as straight as possible and sufficiently long to allow the pre- 

 pared cuttings being from 10 to 12 inches long in the case of 

 Black Currants and from 12 to 15 inches long in the case of 

 Red and White Currants. The reason for having the Red and 

 White cuttings longer than the Black is that trees of the former 

 do best when trained with clean stems, whereas the latter are 

 more profitably grown as stemless bushes. 



In preparing cuttings of Red and White Currants all the 

 buds except three or four at the top of each must be cut out, 

 whilst in the case of Black Currant cuttings all the buds are 

 allowed to remain. The top or unripe portion of each shoot 

 is removed, whilst the base is cut across just below a joint. 

 The cuttings should be inserted 6 or 7 inches apart in rows 

 12 inches from each other, the most usual method being to get 

 out a narrow trench some 4 or 5 inches deep and, after spread- 

 ing a layer of road grit in the bottom, arrange the cuttings in 

 position and fill in the soil, making it firm by treading par* 

 ticularly about the base of the shoots. 



Should the soil become loosened after frost it must be made 

 firm again, and if all goes well a good proportion of the cuttings 

 will take root and make progress during the summer. In order 



